The Many Faces of Izu at Lion Camp, Wild Animal Park

All the 9 pictures below were taken from last weekend, in just a matter of few minutes. I may have featured the lions at Lion Camp in Wild Animal Park several times in this blog, however, let me share again these new set of pictures. This time, I won't put caption to the pictures. I arranged the pictures in order they were taken.

At Lion Camp, you can be nose to nose with a lion, literally, and still feel very safe. The lions can stare right at you with such intensity, even growl at you, yet, you will not run for your life. :) To come nose to nose with lions, there is a viewing area with very thick glass that separates man and lion, and both are in open space. However, for photography, I prefer to shoot the lions without glass. There is a second area to view the lions without glass, but this time, you can not be nose to nose with the lions, which is okay with me. What separates man and lion this time is the cliff between them. The lions can not jump off the cliff to the other side without falling off the cliff and they are smart enough not to do that either. However, in any case, so that the lions can't jump off the cliff, there is a hidden wire that prevents them from jumping off the cliff accidentally. The pictures above were from this open, grassy plain. To see how the lions roam around in their roomy camp, you check my previous post here. 

Do You Think You Can Fly?- Part 2

So you think you can fly? How are you going to do it? There are many several ways we can fly. 
1. Riding an airplane, not very exciting? 
2. Riding a hot air balloon, where you feel safe inside a basket as the burner heats up gas to raise the balloon higher and you get buoyed farther. Del Mar is the popular place for hot air balloon rides in San Diego where you will see the beauty of the Pacific Coastline in San Diego County. If however, you wanted the valleys, with the winery and vineyards below you, the nearest place from San Diego would be Temecula, in Riverside County. 
3. Parasailing, where you are attached to a parachute and then tied to a motorboat. Parasailing is considered by many as a hobby, not a sport since the person on the parachute has no control over movement and speed and therefore becomes simply a passenger like in an airplane, or hot air balloon. Parasailing in San Diego is more commonly seen at Mission Bay and Beach. 
4. Skydiving, is an aerial sport, where divers jump or fall from aircraft at an altitude. Skydivers can perform an assortment of aerial maneuvers before deploying a parachute to slow their descent. Skydiving in San Diego at Otay Lakes is set up to takeoff and land right in the same place thus allowing friends to watch the action. Their jumpships can hold up to 23 jumpers allowing group of friends to jump together.  
5. Ziplining, which a rider wears a harness which is securely connected to a cable suspended high above the ground, then rider glides along the cable. Nearest ziplining experience in San Diego is at San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park, where one glides over the African Safari exhibit. 
6. Then, there is hang gliding and paragliding, which was the aerial sport I introduced in my previous post. In this post, I will continue on sharing how paragliders and hang gliders fly. I will try to share the other different flying experiences in this blog some other time. Though I have photographed some friends who tried some flying experiences here in San Diego, however, for me, though I believe I can fly :) but as of this moment, I am enjoying photographing the activity, while I am hiking, walking around or touring some friends. My favorite outdoor activities would still be hiking, snorkeling and boogie boarding. I am very much a water and land person, though the sky is tempting me too :)
Now back to paragliding and hang gliding.......how do they fly?
A. Hang gliding
Ready.....get set....

 Run.....

Fly......

B. Paragliding
Ready.....get set....

Run........

Fly............

fly like a bird....without any rope tied to tow you behind a speeding motorboat. Fly without being contained in a basket and without a burner to produce hot air. Fly with an option fly up and down, fly North, South, West or East. Just fly......

Paragliding and hang gliding are unmotorized flying-sports. The two are similar in that you rely on the wind and thermal updrafts to help you glide in the air. Living in San Diego, it is not so much of a surprise to see a lot of surfers early in the morning and then, a lot of gliders later of the day. Early in the morning, there is less shore wind which is perfect for surfing, the conditions of the waves are much easier to ride. However, later of the day, the onshore wind picks up and ruin the surface conditions of the waves. The on shore wind creates a heavenly updraft off the cliffs that makes the paragliders float in all day long.

The glider exercises control by shifting body weight in opposition to a control flame. Hang gliders can soar for hours, gain thousands of feet of altitude in thermal updrafts, perform aerobatics in the air, and can glide cross-country for hundreds of miles. To become airborne, a hang glider's airspeed must equal about 20 mph. Airspeed is a combination of the pilot's running speed and the speed of the wind coming toward the pilot. The goal is to make the pressure above the wings less than the pressure below the wings to lift the glider up. As a wing lifts a glider up, gravity pulls it down. The two forces combine to create the gliding action. Pilots need to find constant upward forces to stay in the air for longer periods. While suspended in the harness system, the pilot steers a hang glider by shifting his or her center of balance. Leaning forward and backward causes the glider to dive or climb.

 In paragliding, the glider is strapped into a harness which is shaped like a chair. The harness is strung up to a parachute-like canopy called a "wing". The strings that connect the harness to the wing are collected into two bundles called "risers". The wind keeps you afloat while manipulation of the risers will direct your flight path. Hang gliding is similar to paragliding, though hang gliders are heavier than paragliders thus they require stronger winds. Hang gliders can glide higher and faster than paragliders.

Though paragliding and hang gliding are similar, but hang gliding is heavier and can glide much higher and faster

Paragliding and hang gliding are considered specialized sports which require much skill. However, you can get a taste of flight by going tandem:

this is to say, an experienced instructor goes with you and s/he helps you maneuver the aircraft. Student gliders start with tandem gliding first, then, as they learn about maneuvering and get their license to fly freely, they are able to fly on their own. Torrey Pines Gliderport is not only known as a free flight site, but also as a free flight school. 

Do You Think You Can Fly?

Flying Above Torrey Pines Gliderport, San Diego

Do you think you can fly? If you do, how do you want to fly? Like him?

Hang Gliding

Or like her?

Paragliding

Hang gliding and paragliding are two forms of free flight in purest form. There is no motor, there is no tugging, both can soar the winds like a bird.  

Flipping in the Air

Unlike skydiving where there is only one direction which is down, paragliders and hang gliders soar just like birds, they fly up and down, they tease the wind tumbling in the air, they go really high,

or low,

or even lower teasing the grounds and then fly high again. They soar over the ocean,

or above the cliff, soaring like a bird.....

and birds soar with them, flying with them, just like in the above picture. Can you see the bird soaring with the gliders in the picture above? Is that a seagull? a crow? a pelican? the very common birds along the coast? Let's take a closer look.....

This hawk and a sea gull kept on playing with each other, teasing the gliders, and soaring with them high, low, flipping in the air, flying westward, eastward, northbound or south bound.

Do you think you can fly? If you live near San Diego, or have plans of visiting San Diego, you may want to try how it feels to soar like a bird at Torrey Pines Gliderport. 

How do these gliders fly? Well, they run and then jump off the cliff! In my next post, I will show you how these gliders run and jump off the cliff to fly....

Aerial Views of Pacific Northwest Mountains

The photos below are aerial views of Pacific Northwest, taken from inside Southwest Airline plane from Los Angeles to Seattle last June 28, 2010. Since I prefer to seat in the aisle for convenience ( easy to stretch, easy to move around), the pictures below were all taken by my husband (KTL). Though I was at the aisle seat, I can still see a little bit the view below and we had fun identifying the mountains that we passed. It is so nice to see them from above, when before, we only saw them from the ground.

1. Mt. Shasta, California. 

Mt. Shasta, California, Summer 2010

It was interesting to see Mt. Shasta from above when about the same time last year we also spent vacation here in the area, with Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA as one of our main vacation destinations then. You can find one of my posts about Lassen Volcanic here. 

2. Crater Lake, Oregon.

Crater Lake National Park, Summer 2010

When we first saw Crater Lake right below us, there was no doubt in our mind it is indeed Crater Lake. Unlike the first picture above, where we had to guess between Mt. Lassen and Mt. Shasta. The deep blue color of Crater Lake with the Wizard Island on the right side of the lake ( as seen from the picture) just made us very confident that what was below us is Crater Lake. Like Mt Shasta, Crater Lake was also one of the major destinations of our vacation last year. You can find some of my posts about Crater Lake National Park here and here.  

3. North Cascades, Washington (?)

(?), Summer 2010

Now, this one we are not too sure, thus the question mark after North Cascades. Anyway, you can find some of my posts about North Cascades National Park here and here. 

4. Mt. Rainier, Washington

Mt. Rainier, Summer 2010

Looking at the picture above makes me wish we had the same beautiful skies during the days we went to Mt. Rainier, but for us, we had to live with snow, rain and blizzard when we got there. You can find my some of my posts about Mt. Rainier here and here.

5. Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens, Washington

Mt. Rainier (top left) and Mt. St. Helens ( bottom right)

Now, seeing the picture above reminds me to share something about our trip to Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument next time.

White Water Rafting at White Salmon River

Us, White Water Rafting @ White Salmon River, Washington

( our picture taken by staff of Wet Planet White Water )

One of the activities we did aside from hiking, tide pooling and spelunking during our Washington and Oregon trip was white water rafting. The last 2 days of our trip was at Columbia River Gorge, where we stayed at Hood River, in Oregon. 

Mt. Hood and Hood River Bridge @ Columbia River Gorge

Though Hood River in Columbia River Gorge is world known for wind surfing, however, we do not have muscles :( for that sport, so we decided to do white water rafting. 

Wind Surfing @ Hood River, Oregon

In the Columbia River Gorge area, the center of white water rafting and kayaking is the White Salmon River. The White Salmon River is fed by White Salmon Glacier from the slopes of Mt. Adams and flows into the Columbia River Gorge. 

Mt. Adams Surrounded by Clouds, picture taken from Mt. Hood

Since the White Salmon River is fed by White Salmon Glacier, the water was freezing cold, thus despite it was in the summer, we had to wear thick wet suit underneath the water proof jacket. 

The lower portion of White Salmon River is in the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area and some of the upper sections are part of the National Wild And Scenic Rivers system. The White Salmon River Rafting is a breathtaking combination of adventure and scenery being part of the National Wild and Scenic River area.   

one of the many exciting drops we had at White Salmon

( our picture taken by staff of Wet Planet White Water )

( the one wearing red jacket is our raft guide and mentor )

The rapids that we took are classified for intermediate, class III- IV. We rafted a total of 8 miles, with an over-all 750 ft drop.

Us, Rejoicing After Surviving all the Exciting Drops

White water rafting is such a fun experience, though I will not give up hiking for white water as a hobby, but then, it is always great to try something different once a while. I am actually looking forward for more white water rafting in our next trips. 

Vacation Villas

Eezo Praying or Eezo Dreaming? :) , Lion Camp @ San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park 

The moment I saw the picture of Eezo above which was taken by my hubby (KTL ), I went to dreamland. Perhaps, like Eezo, I am dreaming of a wild vacation in Africa.

Elephants Running at Wild Animal Park's Safari Walk

( one elephant near us roared very loud, and all of a sudden the rest of the elephants ran towards him, what a sight of running elephants in grove )

However, since I am here in San Diego, the closest I can go to when I dream of experiencing the African Safari is the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park, which is now renamed as San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Safari in "Swahili" means a "journey of mind and soul". The picture of Eezo above, somewhat reflects someone whose mind and spirit is having a wonderful, peaceful and dreamlike journey. 

How I wish we all have the time and the money to travel anywhere our mind and heart would want to explore. However, we try to limit our adventure vacation to twice or thrice a year only since of course, aside from time constraint, there is also money constraint. :( We also have to save for our rainy days and for our old age. This summer, we had a grand time exploring the wonderful National Parks in Washington and Oregon, but after that 2 weeks in WA and OR, my summer vacation continues here at home, in San Diego. How is my vacation like in my home turf? Well, it's just as fun!

Simple Joy, Pure Fun in Boogie Boarding

The ocean never leaves us, so, who am I to snob the call of the waves? The WTA tournament went back in San Diego after 2 or 3 years of absence, so of course, went there to watch tennis matches

Vera Zvonareva 

and enjoyed as paparazzi when tennis players are practicing on courts.

Jelena Jankovic

Sometimes, I do visit my friends at Sea World, 

San Diego Zoo,

San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park ( or now San Diego Zoo Safari Park ),

and occasionally meet my friends in the trail and in the wild.

My summer vacation at home also includes planning for the next vacation. Though of course I dream of being in a real African Safari someday, but with my goal of completing all the US National Parks first before exploring the National Parks in other countries, I do not know when I will finally set foot in Africa :( Right now, I am almost done with itinerary for an Alaska Adventure for summer 2011 and now is trying to work on an itinerary for the 3 National Parks in Florida, which are the Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park and Dry Tortugas National Park. I had been hoping to hit this side of the East Coast before, however, with too many places to go, this one has always been put aside. I am hoping however, that the weather will be good this coming winter break ( December 2010) for a Florida vacation. My friend who recently went for a European trip shared to me her wonderful experience of staying in villas in Italy. She said it is like having a home away from home and is really a great value for money. Since Biscayne National Park and Everglades National Park are kind of close to each other, instead of looking at different hotels to stay, I try to consider my friend's suggestion to look for Florida villas maybe in Homestead while we explore Biscayne and Everglades. And then, because of better flexibility of staying in a villa, we may consider staying in another owners direct villas also at Key West for Dry Tortugas National Park. Right now, I am in a state like Eezo, looking up at the sky and my mind wanders, believing I will get there!

Believe all these dream vacation will happen, one or two or three US National Parks at a time, until all 58 has been completed, and then, I am in Africa! Dream on, Betchai :)